After 54 years, choir director to bid farewell - Quad Cities Online. Famous Moline Boys Choir

Kermit Wells, temporary director for 54 years.

After 54 years, choir director to bid farewell - Quad Cities Online:


The annual Moline Boys Choir spring concert later this month will be extra special -- not only because the April 29 program will inaugurate the new auditorium at John Deere Middle School, but that the choir, alumni and community will bid farewell to its longtime director, Kermit Wells.

After 54 years with the choir, Mr. Wells, 75, will retire this summer. The beloved choir (now with 36 regular members and 14 younger cadets) was founded by Frederick Swanson in 1948; Mr. Wells joined as an assistant in 1958. The MBC has toured the country and overseas, made many recordings, and included as many as 200 boys in three separate groups in the 1980s.

"I still enjoy teaching the kids; I don't have energy for concertizing," Mr. Wells said. "It takes so much stress, physical endurance for the concerts. I just don't have the energy for it. "

Former music coordinator for the Moline School District and a junior-high and high-school music teacher (he retired in 1995), Mr. Wells has directed MBC since 1973. He leads five one-hour rehearsals a week at the Coolidge auditorium; singers -- from second through ninth grades -- are required to attend at least two each week, and three in the weeks leading up to a concert. Mr. Wells often doesn't see the whole choir together until the concert.

The holiday season is a busy time for the choir, with several concerts in November and December. Each spring's concert usually features alumni, and the 3 p.m. concert April 29 should be extra full, given Mr. Wells' announcement, said choir alum Steve Slininger, of Silvis, who serves on the board and is heading up the search committee.

"It was pretty amazing," he said of the director's half-century tenure. "When I was a boy, the transformation occurred from Dr. Swanson to Mr. Wells. He was planning to do this on a temporary basis. He's been doing it temporary for 54 years."

"He was very big on tradition," Mr. Slininger said of Mr. Wells, who also taught his three brothers, and his son, Brian. "We kept up a lot of activities we did when I was a boy. He has his own different style of dealing with the boys. It used to be we never got away with anything."

The choir has hundreds of people across the country on its mailing list, and would like to find an alumnus to succeed Mr. Wells. "It should be somebody who knows the boys choir procedure," he said.

Mr. Slininger said the goal is to hire a new director by August. As he's done for 50 years, Mr. Wells will accompany a group of choir members to a week-long camp in Green Lake, Wis., in July. During the summer, the choir doesn't rehearse regularly, but meets for the week before the trip, and performs while there.

Mr. Wells said he's proudest of getting boys interested and involved in music.

"It's something boys don't come by naturally," he said. "To boys, music singing is a girl thing. Once they get into it, get to know each other, they enjoy each other -- the music, the applause and the standing ovations."

Now it's time for their dedicated director to take a bow.

Quotes from Boys Choir alumni

Reactions to Kermit Wells' decision to retire poured forth in a strong, sustained chorus on the Facebook page "Moline Boys Choir For Life":

Matt Sedlak: "Mr. Wells, you taught me so much. You taught me to believe in myself and to not be ashamed of the voice and personality God gave me. Thank you for being my Moline Boys Choir Director."
Jeff De Leon: "An era is truly coming to an end. Thank you for everything you've done to inspire youth to pursue the arts in the Q.C. and for being an incredible teacher."

Chadwick Vogel: "There never was a more dedicated, wonderful director. Thank you for the years of discipline, and beautiful music you gave to each and every member of the choir."

Tom Mahalla: "But how can one replace that which is irreplaceable?"

Peter Holst: "Thank you is not enough. You have been such a guiding influence in so many young lives. Thank you Mr. Wells!!!!!"

Steve Van Daele: "Kermit, you have been such a positive influence to 'your' boys over the years. One can tell by the following you have from afar on FB. Your dedication has given many the 'escape' they were always looking for. I am proud being an Alumni of the MBC."

Andrew Swenson: "Kermit, Many thanks for your years of service to MBC! My MBC experience provided a solid foundation for almost 40 years of choral singing, an indispensable part of my life. You were a big part of that MBC experience."

Bruce John is in the center, fifth row,
and John Robeson (redhead) is fourth row, on the right.
Dr. Fred Swanson is directing this Christmas concert, probably 1960.

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Larry Eyre's mother kept this certificate for 50 years. The fine print is worth reading - "not for pecuniary profit."

John Robeson, MBC member from the same year, sent some scans which were posted.

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churchmousec (http://churchmousec.wordpress.com/) has left a new comment on your post "After 54 years, choir director to bid farewell - Q...":

These retrospectives are great, Dr Jackson. Thank you for sharing them with us.

A great way to learn (or, in my case, reminisce ;) ) about social history and find out more about Moline!

Churchmouse

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GJ - You are welcome, ChurchMouse. Leo Brunner was a classmate who knew all the stats of all the men in professional baseball, year by year. We also went to college together. He was in the Moline Boys Choir too. Leon became a phenomenal teacher, simply loved by the kids, and a great coach too. He always had a weak heart and died young. They named a tournament after him.

I remember him at a reunion, grinning about how all the boys tested him on statistics and he never got them wrong. He told me how that earned their respect and made them receptive to teaching.

Leo never lost that huge grin in talking about baseball.
The photographer, Karl Huntoon, another classmate, also died young.

Luther Berates the False Shepherds of Church Growth,Their Synodical Leaders and Professors

Luther's Good Shepherd sermon.

10. But that we may make it the plainer, and may understand it the better, we will cite a passage from the prophet Ezekiel, where he speaks of the wicked shepherds that are against Christ, when he says (34, 2ff) : "Should not the Shepherds feed the sheep? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill the fatlings; but ye feed not the sheep. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought back that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor have ye ruled over them. And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they become food to all the beasts of the field and were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and there was none that did search or seek after them," and so forth. Accordingly, God reproves the shepherds who do not keep the sheep. And now mark well what he has written. His earnest intent in this paragraph is that the weak, sick, broken, those who are driven away and the lost, are to be strengthened, bound up, healed, and sought again, and that they are not to be torn to pieces and scattered. This you should have done, says he to the shepherds, but you have not done it; therefore, I will do it myself. As he says further on, in verse 16: "I will seek that which was lost, I will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick."

11. Here you see that Christ's kingdom is to be concerned about the weak, the sick, the broken, that he may help them. That is, indeed, a comforting declaration. The only trouble is that we do not realize our needs and infirmities. If we realized them, we would soon flee to him. But how did those shepherds act? They ruled with rigor, and applied God's Law with great severity; and, moreover, they added their own commandments, as they still do, and when these were not fulfilled, they raved and condemned, so that they were driving and driving and exhorting and exacting, continually. That is no proper way to tend and keep souls, says Christ. He is no such shepherd as that; for no one is benefited, but is rather wholly undone, by such a course, as we shall presently hear. Now let us consider this citation from the prophet in its order.

Leonard Sweet, New Age Guru
and his faithful minion, Paul Calvin Kelm.
In the background - WELS gay videos are reality now,
found at the synod headquarters - but no one knew!

12. First, be says: The sheep that are weak are to be strengthened; that is, consciences weak in faith and troubled in spirit and of tender disposition are not to be driven and told: You must do this. You must be strong. If you are weak, you are lost. That is not strengthening the weak. St. Paul, speaking to the Romans (chapter 14,1) says: "But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for decision of scruples." And shortly afterwards (chapter 15, 1) he says: "Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." Accordingly, they should not be driven with rigor, but should be comforted, even though they are weak, lest they be driven to despair; and in time they will grow stronger.

13. Isaiah, the, prophet, speaks of Christ likewise (chapter 42, 3): "A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench." The bruised reeds are poor, tender consciences, which are easily distracted so that they tremble and despair of God. He does not fly at them then, and trample them under foot; that is not his way. But he deals with them gently, lest he break them to pieces. Again, the dimly burning wick, which still burns at least, though there be more smoke than fire there, he does not wholly quench, but lights, and again and again trims it. That is a great consolation, indeed, to such as experience it; and, therefore, he who does not deal gently with tender consciences is no good shepherd.

Hunter: de-caff.

14. Secondly, the prophet says: "Neither have ye healed the sick." Who are the sick? They are those who are manifestly deficient in certain of their works. The first clause has reference to tender consciences; the second, to outward conduct. As, for instance, when one growls and sulks, and now and then lapses, and in anger and other foolish ways oversteps the bounds; even as the apostles, at times, grievously stumbled. But even those who in their outward works before men manifest their shortcomings, so that people are offended at them and say that they are rude and peculiar, he will not cast away; for his kingdom here below is not so constituted as to embrace only the strong and the whole, as it will be in the life to come. Christ is sent here that he might receive and help just such people.

LCMS Professor David Scaer

LCMS Pastor Paul Scaer.

15. Therefore, even though we are weak and sick, we must not despair and say we are not in the kingdom of Christ. But the more we realize our sickness, all the more should we turn to him; for that is what he is here for, to heal and make us whole. Accordingly, if you are sick and a sinner, and realize your condition, you have all the more reason to go to him and say: Dear Lord, I come just because I am a sinner; that thou mayest help me, and make me good. Thus, necessity drives you to him; for the greater your ailment, the more imperative it is that you seek relief. And that is what he wants; therefore, he tenderly bids us to be of good cheer, and to come unto him. They who are not good shepherds, however, expect to make people good by hatefully scolding and driving them, whereas they are thereby only making matters worse. And this may be seen when we look upon present conditions, brought about by this wrong method, when everything is so piteously scattered, even as the prophet has here said.

English as a second language? - sign us up!

16. Thirdly: "Neither have ye bound up that which was broken." To be broken is as though one had a bone fractured or were otherwise wounded. As when a Christian is not only weak and infirm, so that he makes a misstep at times, but when he falls into such great temptation that he breaks his leg; for instance, if he should fall and deny the Gospel, as St. Peter did, when he denied Christ. Well, even though one should make such a misstep as to be impeded or overthrown--even then you should not cast him away, as though he no more belonged to this kingdom. For you must not rob Christ of his characteristic, that in his kingdom abounding grace and mercy alone prevail, so that he helps those who realize their misery and wretchedness, and desire to be helped, and that his kingdom is wholly one of consolation, and that he is a comforting, friendly shepherd, who tenderly invites, and would induce, all men to come unto him.

Children were banned from this special service, kelmed from Craig Groeschel.
Foward (sic) this newsletter to let people know what Satan is doing in WELS.

17. Now, all this is effected through the Gospel alone, by means of which we are to strengthen all the weak and heal all the sick; for this Word will satisfy every want of those whose consciences are troubled, and will give full consolation to all, so that no one, no matter how great a sinner he has been, need despair. Hence, Christ alone is the good shepherd, who heals all our infirmities and raises up again those who have fallen. He who does not do that is no shepherd.

How convenient, to use Martin Luther College, WELS,
to teach against Lutheran doctrine.

18. Fourthly, the prophet says: "Neither have ye brought back that which was driven away." What is meant by "that which was driven away"? It is that despised soul that is fallen so low that all efforts to reclaim it seem to be in vain. Nevertheless, Christ would not have even such dealt with rigorously. He would not have his kingdom narrowed down so as to include only such as are strong and healthy and perfect.
That will be the case in the future kingdom that follows this life, as has been said: Now, because he reigns, pure grace and bliss only shall prevail. Even as God promised the children of Israel (Ex 3, 8) that the promised land would be a land flowing with milk and honey. Likewise St. Paul says that our uncomely parts shall have more abundant comeliness (1 Cor 12,23).

Don Patterson is so po' that he needs a free vicar each year,
but he has $40,000 for fund-raisers.

19. Fifthly, he concludes: "Neither have ye sought that which was lost." That which was lost is that which is given up as already condemned, so that there is no expectation that it ever will return; as the publicans and harlots mentioned in the Gospel, and as the dissolute and intractable in our day, were and are. And yet, even these he would not have us pass by, but would have everything possible done to reclaim them. This was done by St. Paul, on different occasions; as, for example, when he delivered two men unto Satan, as he said to Timothy (1 Tim 1, 20): "Whom I delivered unto Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme." And, again, to the Corinthians he said (1 Cor 5,5): "I have concluded to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." He had cast these away as condemned, and yet he goes after them again.

Start at home if your son is a professed atheist.

Bobby Petrino and winning vs. character - Post Leadership - The Washington Post. This Applies to Lutheran Presidents Who Lie about Felons in Their Midst

Elderly coach and college-aged mistress.
Lutheran propaganda outfits make sure the members and ministers hear a cooked story
instead of the truth.
What does that say about the integrity of the leaders?

Bobby Petrino and winning vs. character - Post Leadership - The Washington Post:


When Bobby Petrino was the head football coach at the University of Louisville, he interviewed with Auburn University to replace Tommy Tuberville, who had been his boss, giving him a break in his career. He initially denied the 2003 meeting before admitting to it. Four years later, when he was recruited away from the Atlanta Falcons with just three games left in the season, he left a short statement in the players’ lockers shortly after telling the team’s owner he wasn’t going anywhere.

None of this is news to anyone who follows football. So, when Petrino’s character was again on the line thanks to the scandal that prompted his firing Tuesday from the University of Arkansas, few seemed surprised. ESPN’s Time Keown writes that “the character questions began long before he was hired and then released as Arkansas’ head coach.” And Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Rosenberg opines that “if we were playing a game, and you asked me to guess which major-college coach hired his mistress to work with his football program, got in a motorcycle accident with her on board, then lied to his bosses about the relationship, I could have guessed ‘Bobby Petrino’ faster than it takes him to print out his resume.”


Bobby Petrino speaks during a news conference in Fayetteville, Ark. on April 3, 2012. (Gareth Patterson - AP) Such scoffing gives little credit to athletic director Jeff Long, who put integrity first in making this decision and was visibly shaken in a news conference about the effect Petrino’s actions would have on Arkansas players. Still, there’s truth to the criticism. Until a history of questionable actions has real consequences for leaders, rather than leading to a period of exile that ends all too quickly in our forgive-and-forget society, the pattern of putting winning before character will continue.

For those who have not been following the Petrino story, it encapsulates behavior that is antithetical to what one would want from a person leading student-athletes. After being involved in a motorcycle accident (in which he was not wearing a helmet), Petrino said he was the only individual on the bike. Several days later, a police report revealed that Petrino had in fact been with a 25-year-old employee of the athletic department who he had recently hired for a new job. Just before the police report was made public, Petrino told Long about his companion on the bike, with whom, it turned out, he had had an inappropriate relationship.

In a news conference explaining his decision to terminate Petrino, Long highlighted the “misleading and manipulative” behavior from his coach. He said Petrino was given “multiple opportunities” over four days to come clean about what happened, but chose not to. And he got emotional when he spoke about the lack of leadership and the impact it would have on Petrino’s players. “I’m committed to providing them with the leadership—leadership that’s befitting of our mission to develop student athletes to their fullest potential through intercollegiate athletics,” Long said, adding “our expectations of character and integrity in our employees can be no less than what we expect from our students. No single individual can be bigger than the team.”

Denying secretive interview and leaving town without saying goodbye in person may not be the same as staying mum about an inappropriate relationship with a young staffer. Raw ambition and an unwillingness to face up to professional players may not be as questionable as giving a staffer a job in a college football program who had “an unfair and undisclosed advantage.” Still, my guess is that when Long goes to hire a replacement for Petrino, a good hard look at the character questions in any candidate’s past will be at the top of his agenda.


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GJ - This post deals with "conservative" Lutheran leaders rewarding felons.

The same district and synod presidents who lie to cover up scandals will also lie about everything else. Since they see their roles as public relations for Holy Mother Synod, any lie will do.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Bobby Petrino, Jessica Dorrell talked frequently, ...":

I suppose why they looked at his phone records is to see if he was texting while motorcycling, and maybe that is what caused the crash. Otherwise, there'd be no other reason for the invasion of privacy. However, I wonder why the phone company had to give the last six months of calls and textings, rather than just the last fifteen minutes before the crash.

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GJ - The records were released under the Freedom of Information Act. I thought I heard the journalist say that it was a university owned phone. That would make the phone calls, texts, pictures, and videos the property of the school.

Would the coach want a phone bill thicker than the Yellow Pages, delivered at home? The pages are already on the Internet somewhere.

Fake Blogger Celebrates Prematurely